Bum-bum... Bum-bum...

The sound of drums echoed throughout the campsite, and all of the remaining squads made their way towards the announcement platform at which Haria had performed the deliverance.

A few moments later, Rion and Kuro also reached the crowd.

Everyone shifted their eyes towards the two and began to murmur within themselves.

Rion ignored their murmurs, and his eyes fell on his squad members. They also looked at him and made their way towards him.

Kuro's curious gaze stilled on Rion's squad for a moment before he turned away and left.

Rion smiled as his squad appeared behind him. Just then, the drums stopped, and a heavy presence killed all of the chatter.

Everyone fell silent and turned their gazes towards the top of the platform.

At the same moment, Haria also stepped out of her camp and walked towards the platform while small dark yellow aura flames danced around her body.

Her gaze scanned everyone, though it appeared to have only stayed on them for a moment; even that low amount of time was enough for her to know of the fear they were hiding beneath the flames burning in their eyes.

She didn't show her own emotions and stopped at the edge of the platform.

"Are you scared?"

Confusion erupted within the crowd, and they breathed.

"Huh?!"

"What?!"

"What is she talking about?"

"Is she mocking us?"

She let them murmur within themselves for a few moments before she spoke, "I know that all of you are scared. So what? Does that fear make you weak? No, it does not! It proves that you are a human! Those who ignore that fear and continue to fight for their land, their people, their parents are warriors."

Her voice thundered throughout the campsite, and the crowd listened with bated breath, their fingers curling into a fist.

She added, "And those who rip apart both the fear and those vermin are the Dhaevrak. The blood of gods runs through our veins! Why shall we be scared of mere pests?! Answer me! Are you scared?!"

The crowd shouted at the same time.

"NO!"

She smiled widely and raised her fist.

"Let us honour the Gods!"

The crowd threw their fists in the air and chanted.

"Honour the Gods!"

"Honour the Gods!"

"Honour the Gods!"

Fwoosh!

The dark yellow aura flames around her blazed like a wildfire and blanketed the whole of the platform.

"Let us glorify the Dhaevrak!"

"Glory! Glory! Glory!"

She shifted her eyes, and they met Rion's before she added,

"I cannot promise you survival, but I promise one thing: I would allow no darkness to reap your dreams away from you."

The crowd clenched their fists in silent determination.

'Good, that's how it should be.' She nodded inwardly and stated, "The ones to fight beside me would be Kuro and... Rion."

Puzzled expressions appeared on most faces as Kuro and Rion walked onto the platform and stopped beside her.

Everyone's eyes naturally shifted towards Rion as he was the one surrounded by the most mystery.

"What is going on?"

"Why is Rion there?"

"Is he as strong as Kuro?"

"Are you stupid? He is not even sixteen years old!"

Rion ignored the crowd's mumble with a soft smile and glanced at Haria from the corner of his eye.

<Are you feeling joyous after making me do this?> Her soft voice resounded in his head.

<The fewer of them die, the better it is for the tribe, no?> He replied while lifting the corner of his lips into a smirk.

Her lips curled up into a smile. <Indeed.>

"Let the hunt begin!" She announced and turned back towards her camp.

Kuro and Rion followed behind her.

The crowd continued to stare at their backs — especially Rion's and left the place with their hearts beating for the glory that had yet to come.

Rion's squad watched Rion follow behind Haria, and Tarun mumbled playfully, "Are you sure about giving him to the group leader?"

Dora glared at him and snapped, "Shut up!"

A chuckle escaped him, and Kahrun turned his eyes at Yuura, who was already stepping away from them.

"Where are you going?"

Yuura stooped in his tracks, looked back at him and answered with a frown, "... to train?"

The others turned silent at his words and threw one final glance at the group leader's camp before Kahrun said, "I was thinking the same."

Dora and Tarun nodded and muttered, "Yeah."

Yuura smiled, turned around and said after gesturing them to follow behind, "Let's go then."

The others also smiled joyously and began to follow beside him.

***

"So, we still don't know if it is five-horned or six-horned?" Rion questioned with a puzzled look and stared at Haria and Kuro's calm faces.

Haria didn't reply, and seeing that, Kuro decided to answer him, "If we could find out how strong the kareth lord itself is, there wouldn't have been any need for countless sacrifices that are made during the waves."

His confusion deepened even further, and he asked, "What strategy are we going to use then?"

Kuro scoffed and added, "Strategy? What strategy can you even use on those undying vermin?"

Rion fell silent and looked at Haria. She stared back at him in silence before she said, "A single group leader can defeat a five-horned; a six-horned is usually defeated with the help of many... but they are rare — very rare. Even in all of my years as the group leader, I've only fought ten six-horneds."

The ending words were full of pride but they didn't diminish Rion's worry.

He stepped closer to her and asked with a dark expression, "How rare is it for a group leader to die during the kareth wave?"

Kuro furrowed his brows at his insolence, but didn't stop him.

Haria smiled wryly and answered while ruffling his raven hair, "You don't have to worry about me. Those bastards' dream is to kill me... but not all dreams come true, do they? Pha-hahaha!"

Her hearty laughter echoed throughout the camp, and all Rion could do was stare at her with a deadpan expression.

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